Last week, Five Finger Death Punch frontman Ivan Moody was in no shape to be on stage during the band's performance at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. The following night, he noted he had a "mental meltdown," while some fans in attendance noted he was still in no shape to perform.
It seems like Moody has finally come to this realization himself. We just got the following press release from the band's management noting that All That Remains frontman Phil Labonte will be filling in the rest of the tour:
With only 8 shows to go on their current US co-headlining arena tour with Shinedown, Five Finger Death Punch announced today that they have decided to honor their commitment to the fans and finish out the current tour with All That Remains vocalist Phil Labonte filling in for Five Finger Death Punch frontman Ivan Moody who has fallen ill.
Says Zoltan Bathory, guitarist of Five Finger Death Punch: "Ivan is our brother and we fully and wholeheartedly support him taking care of himself so he can get well as soon as possible. We discussed possibly canceling the remaining shows but the responses from the other bands on the tour were so overwhelmingly supportive that we decided to move forward and deliver the great night to the fans that they expect.”
Adds James Michael, vocalist for Sixx:A.M.: “All of our hearts are with Ivan right now hoping for a speedy recovery. Phil is an excellent frontman and vocalist who stepped forward in solidarity to Ivan without a moment of hesitation. Fans are in for some special treats and surprises. I’m really excited about the show tonight.”
Phil Labonte, the vocalist of All That Remains, a former Marine and close friend of Moody once before saved the day for Killswitch Engage in 2010 when their singer at the time, Howard Jones, left the band mid-tour. Says Phil Labonte: “I got their six and stepped up right away. I’m honored to be able to help Five Finger Death Punch to finish their tour and give Ivan a chance to take care of himself. I did the same for Killswitch Engage years ago. I was humbled to get the call and get a chance to play in front of such a great audience.”
In an unprecedented move of solidarity, artists from the four-band bill of the tour have vowed to finish the dates on a high note and stand behind Ivan in his endeavor to get well. Tonight’s Five Finger Death Punch show at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia will feature guest performances by Phil Labonte of All That Remains, James Michael, vocalist of Sixx:A.M. and As Lions, the U.K. newcomers fronted by Austin Dickinson.
The remaining dates of the tour are as follows:
Thu 12/1 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
Fri 12/2 Hershey, PA Giant Center
Sat 12/3 Huntington, WV Big Sandy Superstore Arena
Mon 12/5 Greenville, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Tue 12/6 Charleston, SC N. Charleston Civic Center
Thu 12/8 Orlando, FL Amway Arena
Fri 12/9 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
Sat 12/10 Duluth, GA Infinite Energy Center
While Moody promised refunds for the DCU Center show while on stage last week, he was clearly was in no position to offer any. The venue has told fans requesting refunds that none have been issued, leaving upset fans reaching out to us. It's more complicated than just issuing a refund, since it was a co-headlining tour, and there were three other bands who did fulfill their obligation to perform and they need to get paid. It sucks for fans who went out of their way to go see a band they love but it's an unfortunate situation for everybody involved.
At this point, the important thing is that Moody gets some help. It's clear he recognizes the problem and we're glad the bands offered their support in this difficult situation.
